Sustainability Initiatives

The Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority is committed to sustainable initiatives that go beyond recycling.  Take a look of some of our sustainable projects below.

 

Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) Fueling Station

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. provides renewable natural gas (RNG) for CCRRA's onsite fueling station.  This RNG fueling station is one of the first on the East Coast and provides fuel for both CCRRA vehicles as well as other fleets.  Our RNG fueling station expects to reduce carbon emissions by 3,696 metric tons each year – the equivalent of removing 803 passenger cars from the road, recycling 1,484 tons of waste and planting 61,601 trees.  Migrating to RNG is just another example of how closing the loop can be beneficial economically and environmentally.

 

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

CCRRA has installed an electric vehicle (EV) charging port at our facility that can charge up to two vehicles.  We were able to purchase this EV port with the help from a Department of Environmental Protection Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant.  

 

Solar Energy

CCRRA is harnessing the power of the sun! With support from a $75,000 grant from the West Penn Energy Fund (WPEF), CCRRA installed a 791.5-kilowatt solar PV system across three Authority buildings. The system is estimated to produce approximately 939,881 kWh of electricity each year; enough to offset more than 100% of the facility’s annual energy usage. The project is also expected to save the Authority nearly $2 million over the next 25 years.

Want to see how much energy we're producing? Click here to view the CCRRA Solar Dashboard to see solar energy production in real time.

Interactive Solar Education Display

CCRRA recently added an interactive solar education display to our facility, giving visitors the opportunity to learn about solar energy in a hands-on way. The display helps explain how solar panels capture energy from the sun and turn it into electricity, making renewable energy easier to understand for visitors of all ages.

The display is being incorporated into CCRRA’s educational programs, facility tours, school visits and community events. We hope it will encourage visitors to ask questions, explore how solar energy works and think about the ways renewable energy can be part of a more sustainable future.

Our solar project also provides a real-world example right here at CCRRA. Visitors can learn about solar energy and then look up at the panels helping power our facility.  Huge thanks to the West Penn Energy Fund for their generous support for the project.